Game apparatus



Sept. 21, 1937. H. ECKSTEIN ET AL 2,093,427

GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2'7, 1956 Ham Eck'dfuh H 7 Alexander Kfralf I &\\\\\\\\ W INVENTORS Y BY flu; ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1937 2,093,421 GAME APPARATUS Harry Eckstein and Alexander Kiralfy, New

York, N. Y.

Application August 2-1, 1936, Serial No. 98,126

, 2. Claims. (01. 273-130),

This invention relates to a game or practice apparatus consisting essentially of two or more shielded game or field boards and of especially constructed playing pieces, which correspond to v naval ,or military fighting units, and which may be played or moved to imitate the naval or military maneuvers employed ations.

The present invention has for its object to provide at least two fields of operation consisting preferably of boards arranged in spaced relation one above the other, and providedwith screens or shields, whereby the operations or moves taking place over one field are concealed from the player concerned with competing operations on the other field. 1 Another object of our invention is to afford game or practice facilities, which lend themselves particularly well to means for bringing into play certain submarine warfare tactics in the presenceof troop ships and convoys therefor.

A still further object of this invention is to provide the playing pieces with means whereby each is capable during manipulation thereof to 25 imitate the possible operations of the naval unit it may represent, e. g. a submarine which in addition to its mobility of movement on or below the surface of the sea is equally responsive to demands for vertical movements to different depths.

Briefly, it may be pointed out that the present invention comprises a combination of playing boards and movable playing pieces which may be. used in various games of skill or to impart knowlduring warfare operedge to students, of naval or miltary tactics, the I 35 art of maneuvering fighting units.

We accomplish the objects of this invention by I means of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in the specification, set forth in the" tional view of the same.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Ill denotes the upper plane or playing field and I l the lower plane or fleld,"each of which consists preferably the front and back edges where the players operate is provided with hinges l4 and I5, the former is arranged on the upper face of the board Ill and carries a back screen or shield l6, while the latter supports a front screen or shield H, which in the open position of the board hangs from the front edge thereof and completely closes the space at the front between the upper and lower boards. The back screen I6 is supported in substantially upright position, as illustrated in Figure 1, by means of rods l8 which are disposed diagonally on opposite ends of the upper'board l0 and shield l6 and are provided with reduced ends inserted in openings in the two members. When the apparatus is closed the screens fold against the opposite faces of the upper board and the latter is separated from the lower board by removing the posts. The two boards may then be placed together and disposed in a container.

The front screen l'l'is also used to carry the various playing pieces, as well as the posts l3 and rods ill, of the game and suitable brackets IQ of various designs are attached to front face of the screen to receive and hold the pieces when not in In the type of naval game illustrated, the upper board It! corresponds to the surface of the water and is provided with a plurality of perforations 20 and the lower board I I is lined off into squares 2| and represents the floor of the sea.

The. pieces used in this particular game, comprise, for the lower plane or board, a submarine 22 having a deck house, an opening 23 just forward of the house and a periscope 24 projecting upwardly from the deck. The submarine 22 is vertically adjustable on an upright supporting rod 25 which projects through the opening 23. The lower end of the rod 25 is secured in a block 26 which is adapted to rest upon and be moved over lightest and shortest end of the craft and this of a standard board of wood or pasteboard, having an opening-l2 at each of its four corners.

use, the boards are superimposed one above the other and supported in spaced relation on posts I3 which are reduced at their opposite ends to 'fit snugly in the openings I2.

The upper board It! along what may be termed causes the latter to dip slightly towards the heavi r end, whereupon the edges ofthe opening bind gains'tthe surface of the rod.

:The'pieces operating upon the upper plane In comprise a troop ship 28 and two convoys 29 although they may take on any form depending upon the type of game to be played. .These pieces are movable over the upper plane in certain posi-. tions with respect to the perforations 20. The 5 submarine is likewise moyable over the low or lower plane ii and its movement is governed by the lines and squares II. In certain positions the submarine may rise and bring its periscope 24 through one 'of the perforations II to make an observation and discharge torpedoes 32.

The defense offered by the convoys 2! against attack by the submarine consists of depth bombs ill which are arranged while not in use in the brackets it on the front screen "and are of diiferent lengths, each however having a head Ii so that when it is dropped through any perforation 2ll it will catch and hang by the head. If the bomb selected and dropped is of the correct length it will touch at its lower end upon the deck of the submarine. If the bomb is too long or too short it will be considered to have failed to make a hit in its attempt to sink the submarine. Inasmuch as the submarine may be adjusted as to depth as well as to location it will fall upon the operator of the convoys to select the proper bomb Ill. 32 are torpedoes used by submarines in attacking s ips.

It is not particularlyimportant that any particular rules be followed in using the present apparatus as a game or as a practice device, because it will be clear that in each instance circumstances may govern the conditions and rules to be followed.

The features, which are considered of the utmost importance, are first, the completely shielded laterally spaced playing planes, second, the

adjustable playing piece by means of which a' player may escape attack by an opponent and may bring his piece to the surface of the upper plane for observation purposes, and third, the defensepieces of different lengths used by the player of the upper plane to destroy the adjustable piece.

Having described our invention and the manner in which the same may be used, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus, comprising a perforated board over which game pieces may be moved, a shield hinged to the upper face of said board adjacent one edge of said board whereby said shield is adapted to extend substantially vertically in one direction, a second shield hinged to the lower face of said board adjacent the edge opposite the first named edge whereby said second shield is adapted to extend substantially vertically in the opposite direction from which the first shield is adapted to extend, a second board operatively co-related to the first board, means for maintain- 1 opposite the first named edge whereby said sec- I 0nd shield is adapted to extend substantially vertically in the opposite direction from which the first shield is adapted to extend, a second board operatively co-related to the first board, means for maintaining said boards in spaced parallel relation to each other, and headed pins adapted tobe inserted into the perforations in said first named board.

, HARRY ECKSTEIN.

ALEXANDER KIRALI'Y. 

